[TN-Bird] Alabama albinistic Red-tailed Hawk Update

From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
To: albirds@xxxxxxxxxxx, tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2003 02:19:42 EST
Holiday Hawk!
The albinistic hawk reported by Jim Wells, as seen on Christmas Day just east 
of Florence, AL was relocated on Friday afternoon. On my first pass down 
Bainbridge Crossing I missed the bird but upon traveling up the road to the 
east, 
named just Bainbridge and going west on Heaton, I saw a white speck in a 
distant tree line at the intersection with Bainbridge Crossing. 

The bird then flew to a group of trees west of the intersection of Bainbridge 
Crossing and Heaton where I was able to scope the bird and get a few photos 
before it traveled back to the east and perched in the top of a tree within 3 
feet of a normal adult plumaged Red-tailed Hawk. This could possibly mean the 
bird is a resident hawk or mated with this second hawk as there was no 
defensive reaction or interaction from either bird as there normally is between 
nonresident wintering birds. I have a shot of the two birds together.

This albinistic bird is an adult Red-tailed Hawk with a smattering of color 
around the bill, a skull cap of normal coloration, and a very faint sparse 
sprinkling of thin dark marks across the belly evident only with a scope. In 
flight the bird shows a couple of darker primaries and a couple of darker tail 
feathers. In the pure white form of Red-tails that are not true albinos, they 
normally sport light beaks and white to pale talons. I took one photo of the 
birds 
feet showing the translucent talons on this gorgeous bird. 

I have a series of photos I will share that show the features of this bird. 
They were taken at a very long distance but with a scope so they give you an 
idea of the uniqueness of this wonderful Christmas Gift.


Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN


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[TN-Bird] Alabama albinistic Red-tailed Hawk Update

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